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T H E 



BATTLE OF CANNJ^., 



TERRIBLE OVERTHROW OF THE ROMAN ARMY; 



Pisloricnl |l0em anb JliHgram, 



SHOWING THE POSITIONS OF BOTH ARMIES DRAWN UP IN 
ORDER FOR BATTLE. 



WITH SHORT NOTES OF^-BSPLANATION. 

V 



n 




' t 1876. ^ 


BALTIMORE 




PUBLISHED FOR THE AUTHOR 


BY 


JOSEPH NEAL, 


1856. 










Entered according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1856, 

By JOSEPH NEAL, 

In the Clerk's Office of tlie District Court of Maryland. 



''% 



JOHN D. TOY. PRINTEU, 



^ 6 



DEDICATED 



MAJOR GENERAL WINFIELD SCOTT, 



COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF 



UNITED STATES ARMY, 



PREFACE. 



This small Poem is oifered to the piildic without 
any formal introduction or explanation of the induce- 
ments of the author, (expecting the reader to ascribe 
its publication to vanity^) with the remark that it 
was composed for the amusement of a few leisure 
hours. 

If it should not amuse or instruct the unlearned 
reader in Heathen Mythology, or give a true account, 
so far as .it goes, of the manner of fighting before 
tlie use of fire-arms; the brutal neglect of the remains 
of the slain, and inhuman treatment of prisoners 
before the Christian era, the design of its publication 
will be a failure. 

War in those days was no half Avay measure, that 
could generally be closed by negotiation as now, but 
was waged for conquest and total subjugation. Prison- 
ers were considered the properties of the captors and 
sold into perpetual slavery or used as gladiators for 
public amusement and improvement of courage at 
Rome. The discovery of gunpowder has lessened 



A TR EFACE. 

the horrors of Avar, hy rcduciiiG; the mmiber of slain 
more than oiie-lialf. Engagements are faiight with 
artillery and small ai'ms at sufficient (li>stances to 
give the worsted army an op})ortiinity of retreating 
in tolerable order before it is routed and of carrying 
off their wounded. Tlie rules of modern Av^arfare 
alloAv the dead to l)e buried by their friends. 
Prisoners are not ransomed or sold into shwery but 
exchanged or detained until the ratification of peace. 

Before the introduction of gunpoAvder, both armies 
charged up, butting their shields together Avith a 
shock that overturned * numbers on both sides Avho 
never rose again, for it Avas difficult to get up in 
their armour when left alone, and impossible with 
their antagonists standing over them. The engage- 
ment along its Avhole line Avas a series of single 
combats, sustained Avith great physical exertion. 
Almost every battle Avas decisive, because nearly all 
the routed army Avere overtaken and slain, except a 
fcAV taken prisoners for slaves or gladiators. There 
was no escape except by flight, (Avhich was next to 
impossible,) or by killing the enemy. To use slang 
terms, there Avas no backing out after the charge 
Avas sounded and the routed army Avas generally 
used up. 

Every school boy knoAvs tlic battle of Canna? was 
fiiuglit on the 21st of Mav, 216 years before the l.iirth 



PREFACE. 3 

of Christ. Historians differ ahmit the particulars 
of this great battle, hut all agree • about the over- 
throw and terrible slaughter of the Roman army, 
and the comparatively small loss on the side of the 
Carthagenians. Livy computes tlie number of Romans 
and their confederates slain, at upwards of eighty 
thousand foot and iive thousand four hundred horse. 
Again he states, "at Cannas scarcely seventy accom- 
panied the Consul who fled, almost the whole arm}^ 
perished with the other Consul." We take these to 
be the seventy Knights who returned with Varro to 
Rome. All the Carthagenian histories were destroy- 
ed when the 'City was taken and burned by the 
Romans, and the ground ploughed up. 

The plan of tlie battle as stated by Livy, is very 
confused. The Diagram of both armies set in battle 
arra}' is drawn as nearly as convenient, from the 
account given in the Encyclopedia Brittannica, which 
describes more clearly than any history we have seen, 
the manner in which the snare was set, and the 
Roman army drawn into it, and surrounded by such 
an inferior number of Carthagenian troops, by the 
military genius of Hannibal. 

The two thousand confederate "horsemen who faught 
with the Knights are called Tuscans, Avhich may be 
a mistake, but they were from some part of Italy, 



4 PREFACE. 

if not from Tuscany. Livy does not inform us 
particularly or give them any other name than that 
of natives and confederates. Tlie Knights lived in 
the City, and the other horsemen somewhere in the 
surrounding country. 

According to Gihhon, the fatigues and duties of a 
Roman warrior would overwhelm the delicacy of a 
modern soldier. Every man of the legion carried 
about sixty 2)ounds Aveight of armour with a pick 
axe and grubbing hoe^ and cooking utensil on his 
back, and marched one hundred miles a day. This 
seems incredible at first view, (although Ca?sar says 
his army in Gaul performed equally long marches.) 
But when we consider that the Eoman mile was 
measured by one thousand paces, it was not half so 
long as an English mile. Every soldier was obliged 
to bathe himself three times a week i-n summer, if 
water was to be procured. 

Gibbon states, that during the period of the empire, 
and long anterior to it the custom was to strip the 
dead bodies of enemies and leave them on top of the 
ground to be devoured by dogs and vultures, which 
in those days enjoyed many such delicious feasts, &c. 
Livy does not inform us in positive terms whether 
the Romans slain at C'annfe were buried or not, but 
it must have been a fact that they were not buried. 



P R E F .\ C fc) . 5 

Llvy says Hanniljal ordered liis soldiers to searcli 
for and bury all their dead, who amounted to eight 
thousand of his best troops, and that it was reported 
he ordered the body of one of the Koman Consuls 
to be buried, and leaves us to conclude he did not 
bury others belonging to the Eoraan army. Besides, 
no living Romans, except prisoners, were left there 
to bury the dead. Their whole army was slain, 
taken, or had disappeared. If Hannibal had ordered 
the Eoman prisoners to bury the dead, so unusual 
an occurrence would have been noticed by Livy, or 
Poly bins. Wherefore the statement in the Poem, 
that they were devoured by the wolves and buzzards 
is true to the best of our belief, particularly as this 
was the usual way of disposing of dead enemies, 
unless their bodies were ransomed, which we cannot 
believe the Roman Senate would have done, because 
the Senate refused to ransom the prisoners at Hanni- 
bal's offer, to save them from being slaughtered in 
the Arena. If the Roman State cared so little for 
their living, no respect was entertained for the dead. 
Hannibal agreed with some of the prisoners about 
the price of their liberty, and sent ten of them on 
their parole of honor to Rome, to prevail on the 
Senate to pay the ransom. Tlio relatives of the 
prisoners, men, women and children surrounded the 

9 



b PREFACE. 

Forum^ and entreated the Senate with loud lamenta- 
tions to redeem them from destruction. But the 
Senate after debate with closed doors, refused to 
advance the money from the State Treasury, and these 
prisoners were abandoned to their fate, and all 
perished by the swords of each other. How could 
the Eoman Senate be guilty of such gross inhuman- 
ity and ingratitude ? 

Some of the Roman prisoners Hannibal sent on 
their parole of honor, to return to his camp if they 
could not prevail on the Senate to ransom them, 
having failed in their mission, were disposed to 
remain in Eome ; but the Senate ordered them all to 
return, and they were chased out of the City and 
obliged to deliver themselves up to the tender mercies 
of enterprising Hannibal. 

The name of Adah appears in Genesis, as one of 
the wives of Lamech. According to profane history 
Ada was queen of Caria, and in later days she 
appears as the daughter of poet Byron. None of 
these are alluded to in this work, only a beautiful 
and talented, but fickle acquaintance of the writer. 
As almost every river had its classic deity, and the 
author being uninformed who was the tutelary 
Goddess of the Autidus, conferred this title on her 
name without authoritv. 



I 



PREFACE. 7 

Prefaces and introductions are tedious and seldom 
read, but it is considered proper not to conclude this 
one, without making a few remarks about the Mytho- 
logical doctrine of the work, for fear of being 
misunderstood. Destiny is introduced in the rhymes 
as the overruling Power to which men and Gods 
were subjected. After they were written, Lempriere's 
Classical Dictionary was searched and Encyclopoedia 
Americana in vain, to find the classical definition 
of Destiny or Fate. Rand's Encyclopoedia of Science 
has a short definition of Destiny, and refers to Eeed's 
Encyclopoedia. Banier's Mythology has an accurate 
definition of Destiny. No person can have an 
intelligent conception of the beginning, end, and 
true spirit of Heathen Mythology, without ascribing 
to Destiny the attribute of an overruling Power. 
The three sisters called Parcre or Fates, are not the 
Power here alluded to as overruling the Gods. One 
of them held a distaff, another the spindle, and the 
third the scissors to clip the thread of human life. 
The acknowledgment by the Heathens of the existence 
of Destiny is proof that they were not satisfied about 
the reality or sufficiency of Jupiter and their other 
classical divinities, but looked beyond them for a 
supreme ruler greater and better than all of them. 
Any attempt to exj)lain Mythology without noticing 



8 r K K F A C E . 

Destiny, (sometimes called Fate,) is futile, as it 
would be to preach the Christian religion, without 
connecting it with the Eternal Ruler of the Universe. 
The fact is the Heathens believed in the existence 
of a o-ecd God, and so do all the Barbarians, who 
at present inhabit the earth. 

In proof of this the reader is referred to the 
history of Saturn, who attempted to destroy all his 
children, because the Oracle of Fate declared tliat 
his throne in Heaven would be usurped by one of 
them, which was done by Jupiter. Homer after- 
wards makes Jupiter say he would be glad to save 
Sarpedon. But Moipa, Greek for Fate or Destiny, 
had decreed otherwise, and Juno advises him no.t 
to attempt so rash an act. Many other Greek and 
some Roman authors concede the same attribute to 
Destiny. 

Lucian in his dialogue betwixt Minos and Sesostris, 
Represents the latter as a guilty spirit brought 
oefore the former for trial. Sesostris argued his 
own case and succeeded in convincing the Judge 
that all the wickedness he ever perpetrated was 
done under the power of Destiny, which he could 
not resist. On this special plea the Judge dismissed 
the culprit with an injunction not to let it be known 
for what reason he was acquitted, lest every sinner 



PRE FACE. y 

should claim exemption from punishment on the 
same pretext, &c. Destiny and Fate in their ordi- 
nary meaning are to he found in all the English 
Dictionaries, and defined in so far as they are 
applicahle to the affairs of men, hut not in their 
mythological sense as the overruling Power of the 
Heathen Deities. It is not contemplated to write 
a dissertation on the subject, hut only to inform 
the reader what meaning the author intended to 
convey by the word Destiny. 

As something has been said in the verses about 
burning the bodies of the dead, it is not irrelevant 
to make a few remarks about the manner and effect 
of this very ancient custom. When the dead body 
had been washed and anointed, they proceeded to 
wrap it in a cloak, and sometimes in a cloth made 
of asbestus, to prevent the remains of the body 
from being so mixed with the ashes of the wood 
as to be inseparable. It was then placed on top of 
the funeral pile and consumed by fire. When the 
asbestus cloth was unrolled, the corruptible flesh 
was found to be entirely consumed, or more accu- 
rately speaking, had escaped to the pristine elements 
that composed it. The white frame work of bones, 
with a handful of ashes of calcined lime, was all 
that then remained of the proud fabric of man. 



10 PKEFACE. 

These aslies and bones were put into urns and 
placed on the mantels beside the Penates, or deposited 
in vaults. Gladiators were engaged to fight and 
kill each other, while the funeral piles of great men 
were burning, from the idle fancy that the ghosts 
of the deceased would be rendered propitious by 
human blood. Burning was a most beautiful manner 
of disposing of the dead. All gnawing of worms, 
rottenness and stench, was purified or rather pre- 
vented. But wood was too scarce to burn all who 
fell in battle, or died natural deaths. It required 
two cords of pitch wood to burn a body enclosed 
in a cloth of asbestus, which could not be procured 
for any but the rich, they were therefore obliged 
to inter the poor. 

We have heard of several cases of burning the 
dead in modern times. An old gentleman died on 
the Eastern Shore of Maryland, about a century 
ago, named Holiday, wOio injoined the Executors of 
his will to burn his body on three cords of hickory 
wood, and strew his ashes to the four winds of 
Heaven. We are not certain that his will was 
executed as directed by the testator. 

Henry Laurens, a native of Charleston, S. C. was 
a man of distinction in history. In l'r*74, he was 
chosen President of the Council of Safety. In 1776^ 



PREFACE. 11 

chosen a delegate to Congress and elected President 
of Congress. He was appointed Minister to Holland 
in 1*7*79. He was sent as Minister with Benjamin 
Franklin and John Jay, to negotiate peace with 
England in 1*782, at Paris, and died in 1*792, at the 
age of '70 years. 

According to his will, his hody was hurnt on a 
funeral pile, and his bones collected and buried. 
Notice of his will may be found in Weems' Life of 
Washington, one of the most patriotic and amusing 
histories ever written in this country. Which we 
are sorry to say is nearly out of print. Weems 
says Laurens expresses in his will, that his body was 
too good for the worms, and therefore, he directs 
it to be burnt. He is not the only historian who 
states this fact, it may be found in all tlie American 
Histories and Biographies, and no doubt is true. 
There are many instances of burning the dead 
amongst the North American Eed Men, but unfor- 
tunately it is not the custom amongst the whites in 
the Western States and Territories, where they are 
obliged to burn the wood when they clear the 
ground for agricultural purposes. A silly supersti- 
tious notion prevails against burning the dead, from 
fear that the particles being consumed by fire, cannot 
be brought together again on the day of resurrection. 



12 PREFACE. , 

It should be recollected that every hodj by its decom- 
position is separated into its original elements. 

The Frontispiece represents Hamilcar swearing 
Hannibal on the altar at nine years of age, io wage 
eternal war against Eome. It may well be doubted 
whether this oath, imposed on him before he had 
arrived at years of discretion, was binding, but he 
adopted it when he arrived at age, and no one can 
doubt the extraordinary manner in which he per- 
formed it. This engraving was designed by a 
talented artist of fifteen years of age, who drafted 
the Diagram of the order of Battle at the end of the 
Poem, if such it deserves to be styled. 



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PL Alls of CANNAE 



THE 



BATTLE OP CANNJ^. 



Aurora spread her Eastern liglit, 

As Hannibal arrived in siglit, 
To pitch liis camp on Cannae's plain 
When shall such army come again 
With Punic banners raised in air, 
Oifering Eome a battle there? 
The cavalry rode front and rear, 
To chase the enemy if near, 
From Numidea, Spain and Gaul, 
Ten thousand numbering in all. 
Maherbal master of the horse, 
Hated (dd Rome without remorse, 



14 THE BATTLE OF CANN^. 

And never any quarters gave, 

To vanquislied Romans, nor a grave. 

The legions in the centre moved. 

Whose prowess many a battle proved, 

With helmets, shields, bright swords or darts, 

And best of weapons, fearless hearts, 

Like a river of steel, the throng, 

In perfect order rolled along. 

While every veteran kept his post. 

Dead silence reign'd o'er all the host. 

Like stillness that precedes earthquakes. 

Until a martial blast awakes, 

W^ith sudden shock, the first alarms. 

That Hannibal was under arms ; 

From off tlie mountains moving down. 

To take possession of tlie town. 



From Canusium, five miles away. 
The Roman army came next day, 
Six thousand knights in proud array. 



TIIK BATTLE OF CANN^..' 15 

With two thousand Tuscan horse, 
Comprised their whole equestrian force. 
Plchcian h'gions followed on, 
Outnnmhering Carthage three to one. 
8iicli confidence do numbers give, 
They vow'd no ally should outlive, 
The gathering storm that lower'd, 
When Hannibal was overpowered. 
Their victory was all a dream. 
His martial genius kick'd the beam. 



Now the sun w^as rising slow, 
As yet Vulturnus* did not blow, 
But far in regions of the west^ 
With folded wings was lull'd to rest. 
Apulia's sky was all serene. 
The Aufidust there ran between. 
The hostile armies, on each side, 
As if it would from strife divide. 

»See Note 1. -(-See Note 2, 



16 THE BATTLE OF CANN7E, 

Infernal shame tliat man sliould mar, 
Such peaceful scenes hy storms of war ! 



Old Varro, (he that was not slain,) 
Drew out his army on the plain, 
Extending straight two miles in length, 
And form'd three deep to give it strength. 
In front Hastati* waved the sjiear, 
The Principes stood next and near^ 
Triarii made up the rear. 
His right wing rested on the bank, 
Betwixt his centre and each flank, 
Were vacant spaces left to bring, 
The knights in front of either wing. 
Three Roman Consuls in the field, 
This day's command to Varro yield, 
^melius the right wing led. 
The left hand Paulus at its head, 
Behind the centre rode Varro 

« Sec Note 3. 



THE BATTLE OF CANNiE. 17 

Their boastful generalissimo. 

Near to him on left and right 

The knights divided for the fight, 

Each division took its place, 

Fronting on a vacant space. 

Five score thousand legionaries, 

Besides eight thousand brave equerries. 

And we must add to all of these. 

Archers light, and Baliares. 

fSuch dreadful numbers on that day, 

The Eomans marshal' d for the fray. 



The Allies who at Canna3 were. 

Had forded Aufidus down there, 

And unperceived some miles below, 

Were moving up against Varro, 

With steady tramp their march pursued, 

In sight of where his centre stood. 

And there a horrid pause ensued. 



18 THE BATTLE OF CANNiE, 

Forty tlioiisaud fuut, no more, 

Ten tliousand horse, (as said before,) 

Were all the troops the Allies had, 

But Hannibal was at their head. 

Who formed his army on that day 

In a most unusual way. 

His centre shaped triangular, 

Beyond his wings projected far. 

His wings were spread out far and wide, 

Fronting his centre on each side, 

Behind his centre not too near. 

Another line stood in its rear. 

The horse drew up and filled the space 

Each side the centre near its base. 

The central cuneus^ stood out clear. 

From all its allies in the rear, 

Besting on the Eoman centre. 

Which it seem'd designed to enter, ^ 

A cuneus shaped to make a breach, 

But kept its distance out of reach, 

* See Note 4. 



THE BATTLE OP CANN.E. 19 

This centre any way could face, 
And move about at rapid pace, 
Its troops all Gauls and Spaniards were, 
With Hannibal and Mago there. 
The Carthagenians were not near 
But posted on the wings and rear. 
The left wing Hasdrubal displayed, 
Upon the right Maherbal laid, 
Waiting the proper time to close, 
Both wrings on their surrounded foes. 
His stratagem was also laid 
To take advantage of the aid 
Expected from a neutral force 
That every day pursued his course^ 
Over the wide and arid plain, 
Which for months received no rain, 
In that season of the year, 
When the sun is hot and clear. 
His rapid wings had mighty powers, 
To drive the dust in blinding showers. 



20 THE BATTLE OF CANX.E. 

He rose at noon to greatest heiglit, 
But never early or at night. 
The wily Hannibal well knew, 
Which way and when Vultnrnns blew, 
And marched the allies in his track, 
To take the dust upon their back. 
The Eoman army in its place, 
Had this galling wind to face, 
Or turn their backs upon the foe. 
Which might cause their overthrow ; 
Thus Vulturnus made a very 
Sure and cheap auxiliary. 



The centres were two hours in sight, 
Without approaching to a fight. 
But looking at each other stood. 
As if they paused to spill their blood. 
The Eoman Senate had decreed, 
Terentius Varro should proceed, 



THE BATTLE OF CANN^. 21 

And force great Hannibal to meet 

Supei-ior numbers, or retreat. 

The Roman ai-my being large, 

He expected tliey wonld charge, 

And stood provoking their attack, 

Intending from it to fall back, 

And draw them in the ambuscade, 

Betwixt his wings and centre laid, 

But they began a distant fight 

With engines, slings, and arrows light. 

With all their strength the archers drew, 

But short their farthest arrows flew. 

The Baleares* next unfurled, 

And storms of hissing bullets hurled, 

Their engines threw, out every sort 

Of roaring missiles, which fell short; 

For Hannibal with practis'd eye, 

Measured how far projectiles fly, 

* See Nule 5. 



22 THE BATTLE OF CANNiE. 

t 

And not intending to exchange, 

Halted his centre out of range. 

Their light troops dar'd not come up near, 

Dreading swift horsemen in liis rear, 

There Hannibal remained at bay, 

Making no movement any way. 

But in his centre coiled to make 

A hidden spring, like venom' d snake. 



The haughty knights impatient grew, 
And their army all rushed through, 
Imprudently to court the brunt 
Of allied cavalry in front. 
They scarcely got upon front ground, 
Before they heard a bugle sound. 
They heard it once, a signal knell. 
Like charging trump of Gabriel,* 
And saw the cavalry advance. 
On fiery steeds at point of lance. 

* See Note 6. 



THE BATTLE OP CANN^. 23 

Every gallant Roman knight, 

Bore up bravely to the fight, 

And met the cavalry half way, 

Betwixt the armies in the fray, 

Where they met with double force^ 

Of frantic man and plunging horse. 

From driving lance and ringing shield, 

The shock was heard beyond the field. 

Betwixt the armies on the plain. 

There was not room to wheel again, 

Both sides dismounted on the spot, 

Resolved to fight it out on foot. 

The knights were brave as men could be, 

But did not match the cavalry. 

Either in numbers or in skill; 

The cavalry had perfect drill. 

And long inured to war's alarms. 

Every day had practised arms. 

At first to learn, sham battles faught, 

Till every man was fully taught^ 



24 THE RATTLE OF TANNiE. 

To ride his stallion and to fence, 
And many a real battle since, 
Hardened them to laugh at slaughter, 
When spilling blood like water. 
While they were grappling man to man, 
Their steeds in wild disorder ran, 
Kaising on the field one more, 
Frightful scene of wild uproar. 
The knights with chivalry assailed. 
But all their bravest efforts failed, 
Against their vetran Roman haters, 
Who faught by rule like gladiators; 
Adroitly parrying with lance. 
Knew when to fall back or advance^ 
And watching close their foemen's eyes. 
Were seldom stricken by surprise; 
Received the swords of knights on steel. 
And quick returning made them feel 
The fatal stab, and fainting reel. 
Blows of battle axes given, 
By force of both hands driven, 



THE BATTLE OF CANX.E. 25 

Too furiously for tliem to meet, 

r 

By throwing- back fell at their feet, 

Before the knights recovered guard. 

Cut them down with lance or sword. 

(Thus Mattadores with hulls can play. 

And strike the nick of time to slay.) 

While this furious combat raged, 

None but horsemen were engaged, 

As they filled up the centre space, 

The infantry remained in place, 

Cheering with many a loud hurra. 

Their friends to fight and win the day. 

The Koman knights were falling fast, 

But kept up fighting to the last. 

Their chivalry had not availed. 

The cavalry at length prevailed. 

By numbers and by perfect skill, 

In use of weapons made to kill. 

Prizing victory more than life. 

The knights prolong' d the desp'rate strife. 



26 THE BATTLE OF CANN^. 

Vulturnus then began to rise, 

And dimni'd with dust their fiery eyes, 

They seldom saw who gave the blow. 

That hurled them to the shades below. 

Through clouds of dust that hid the sun, 

'Twas hard to see what had been done. 

After the clash of arms had ceased. 

And rolling clouds of dust decreased. 

They saw the cavalry remain, 

To catch their horses on the plain, 

Then riding over knights who lay, 

All jtrostrate in their bloody way. 

Exulted loud with savage glee, 

As they returned to their army, 

Which hailed them victors back once more, 

With louder shouts than tempests roar. 

While seventy Eoman knights alone, 

Escaped from death behind their own. 

Three hundred of the Tuscans fled, 

The rest were numbered with the dead. 



THE BATTLE OF CANNAE. 27 

Let Patrician matrons weep, 

And loving maids tlieir vigiLs keep, 

Offering sacrifice to Mars, 

To bring them safe from hated wars. 

For sons and lovers look in vain, 

Conquer'd, dispers'd, trod down and slain, 

They fought their last on Cannje's plain. 

Victims of war, there they must lay 

Unburied, to be stript next day. 



When Romans saw the knights were kill'd, 

Their hearts with indignation thrill'd, 

And all their army stung with rage 

At once determined to engage. 

Expecting to surround and crush 

The allied Cuneus by a rush, 

No prudence could tlieir rage deter, 

Nor fear of any rwse de guerre. 



28 THE BATTLE OF CANN^. 

But Hannibal his wings fled through, 

And like a siuking maelstrom drew, 

Their chasing army flanks and all, 

After his flying centre small, 

Compared with overwhelming foes, 

Eager round it with death to close. 

They for vengcnce still pursued, 

And he continueci to elude. 

Until the Romans all were seen 

To pass his wings half way between. 

And then he halted on the plain, 

As if his courage came again, 

Where like a solitary rock. 

He stood to breast the coming shock. 

The veterans round him tried and good. 

His strategy well understood^ 

And all in silence took their breath, 

Prepared for victory or death. 

The rash impetuous Romans came. 

With brandished arms and eves of flame. 



THE BATTLE OF CANN^. 29 

►SuiTOUiuling liim at one fell sweep, 
With leo;ionaries thirty deep. 
His steady centre hekl its g-round, 
Against their clashing troops around, 
Who attacked its outer border, 
Crowding each other in disorder. 
Jamm'd in the Roman legions tight, 
None but the men in front could fight^ 
And they pressed on, could not fall back 
To shun a vigorous attack. 
Betwixt his centre ranks was sjiace, 
To fight, fall back and to retrace; 
His troops in centre undismayed, 
Faught with hope expecting aid, 
From both their wings, and line in rear. 
Which they could see were drawing near. 
But which the furious Romans blind, 
Saw not advancing from behind. 
Until they felt their fierce attacks 
All round at once upon theij- backs. 
5 



30 THE BATTLE OF CANNiE. 

Their army .sirK^te inside and ont, 
In wild disorder faced al)out. 
And then pei'ceived with hlack despair, 
That they were taken in a snare ; 
Betwixt his wings and centre tossed, 
That victory and life were lost, 
Paiiliis and ^melius fell. 
Leading their wings, and sunk to Hell, 
(If any heathen word there be 
Like Hell that means eternity.) 
The Eoman courage did not fail, 
But they were cut off in detail ; 
They had to face about in squads, 
And lost advantage of the odds. 
That numbers always will exert^ 
When brought to bear in firm concert ; 
To fight bis Cuneus sides and rear. 
And brush their crowded legions clear, 
Of Carthagenian wings outside. 
All their numerous host defied. 



THE BATTLE OF CANN.E. 31 

The Ruuuui anny faught three hours, 

Struggling- hard with all its powers, 

Against the inevitable fate, 

Which Hannibal had laid in wait. 

On six lines the battle raged, 

The inner Romans were engaged, 

Against his cuneus, sides and rear, 

Which they surrounded and were near ; 

Their outer ranks must face or fall. 

Before his wings outside of all, 

Except remaining cavalry. 

Who having killed the knights that day, 

Now charged the legions every way. 

From left to right, in front and rear. 

Putting the Romans to the spear. 

Their Spanish stallions spurr'd and train'd. 

With all their fire the fight maintained ; 

Upon the Roman legions turned, 

With iron hoofs their armor spurned. 



32 THE BATTLE OF CANN.E. 

Kick'd clown the fig'hting on the dead, 

Pursued and ran down those who fled. 

The horsemen traversed all tlie field, 

Rejoiced to see the Romans yield 

Their lives, in such a desperate cause, 

On tlieir destruction roared applause. 

Like Romans in the Circus met. 

When gladiators threw the net, 

And women to the Circus ran, 

Enjoying sight of dying man ; 

Slaves or prisoners, Gaul and Hun, 

Scourged to fight, and die for fun. 

The Roman knights whom they dispatch'd. 

Often had their prisoners matched, 

Like game cocks for the ring. 

Weighed and prized for murdering. 

Since the time of Tarquin's court, 

This had been a Roman sport, 

Until the Christian law divine, 

Enforced by Emperor Constantine. 



THE BATTLE OF CANN.E. 

"When Coliseum falls Rome falls," 
Despite her battlements and walls. 
It was Rome's military school, 
There art of war was taught by rule, 
And practically learned the best, 
Where students faught and died in jest. 
The cavalry enjoyed the sight, 
Of Romans perishing in fight. 
For Coliseum was their doom_, 
If they Avent prisoners to Rome, 
In the arena to engage, 
Ferocious beast turned from his cage ; 
Or what was worse, friend and brother, 
Forced to fight and slay each other, 
To amuse the ignoble crowd, 
With senators and ladies proud. 



While Rome in cruelty refined. 
Barbarians kept their natural mind, 



34 THE BATTLE OF CANN^, 

This was the darkest age of all, 
"It was mail's worst his second fall;" 
No other city upon earth, 
To such inhuman sports gave hirth. 
The Allies I'aught in nature's cause, 
Against Rome's Lloody Circus laws. 
Betwixt his wings and centre caught, 
The Romans in disorder faught, 
From first to last could not recover, 
But they were slain, and battle over. 
Remembering Coliseum dire, 
The Allies with a natural ire, — 
Which suspended fear increases — 
Hewed the Romans into pieces. 
In their terrible overthrow, 
Made Roman blood in rivers flow. 
When wings and cuneus in the fray, 
Through Roman army cut their way, 
And met each other in the list, 
For joy the reeking warriors kiss'd, 



n 



THE BATTLE OF CANN/E. 

Embracing in tlieir coats of mail. 
With echoing shouts their victory hail. 
The Romans conld escape no way, 
Except through wings and cavalry, 
Plebeian Varro slipt the snare, 
Historians say (if he was there,) 
With seventy knights got back to Rome 
And ever after staid at home. 
Ten thousand of the Romans yield, 
Cried misericordia on the field ; 
Small remnant of their mighty host. 
The rest Avere missing, slain and lost, 
Who beamed with hope at early morn, 
Better that they had not been born. 
A common death the Romans shared, 
No wounded foe the horsemen spared. 
Now Hannibal the slaughter stayed, 
His commands the troops obeyed, 
Remaining Romans prisoners made. 



3G THE BATTLE OF CANNiE. 

"And now tlie weari'd sun goes down 

In glorious clouds of red and brown, 

""'And now the liurly-burly's done, 

And the battle's lost and "won." 

Surviving victors of the day. 

All spent the night in revelry, 

To celebrate their victory. 

In libations deep to Mars, 

For like success in future wars. 



The midnight moon with pallid beam, 
Depicted on the field and stream. 
Unearthly sights, as they would seem, 
The phantoms of a ])aseless dream. 
The battle field and reeking shore, 
With dead legions covered o'er. 
Where they had fallen the day before. 
Eighty thousand Romans lay, 
And their confederates, sad display. 
Of warriors slaughtered yesterday. 



THE BATTLE OF CANN^. o< 

Eiglit tlioiisand of the Allies fell, 

And with the Eoiiians lay pell mell, 

Their cloven shields and heads strewn ronnd, 

In wnld disorder on the gronnd. 

This aAvfnl field of wasted life, 

Gave no retnrning signs of strife, 

Witli life hostilities mnst cease^ 

Death reigned now profound in peace. . 

Grim foemen there together rest, 

The bearded Gaul on Roman's breast, 

Embraced like lovers newly blest; 

On beds of dust with weapons gory, 

Left the Avorld for its false glory. 



Far up the stream the knights were seen, 
And their dead foemen stretched between, 
One thousand of the cavalry there, 
Reposing witli tliem in tlie air. 
6 



38 THE BATTLE OP CANNiE. 

Eacli man liad slied liis little rill 

Of life's Itlood first, and laid down still. 

Their crippled chargers neighing lond, 

Evoked the echoes from a clond, 

Which wildly answered them in vain, • 

For those who ne'er conld speak again. 

The rapid Anfidns was dyed, 

With streaks of blood on either side, 

Down to the Adriatic's tide. 

Ada goddess of the river. 

Fled her sacred stream for ever. 

Which in its hosom used before 

To shadow scenes from sky and shore, 

Topsy turvy in its magic wave ; 

A mirror and a bath to lave, 

Italia' s dark-eyed daughters. 

In its fiood of crystal waters. 

Since Cannas's called and understood 

Pezzo di sanque ''Field of blood." 



THE BATTLE OF CANN.^i. 39 

Two battles (so historians say,) 

Have since been fought at red Cannae, 

Both skirmislies to tliis aflfray. 



At early dawn tlie deadly plain, 
Began to swarm witli life again. 
The Allied victors came to see. 
And reap the spoils of victory. 
Three bushels of gold rings they tore, 
From fingers of the knights^ who wore 
These badges of their honor great, 
Conferred upon them by the state. 
They stript their enemies all bare. 
For hungry dogs and vulture's fare. 
In those days the birds and beasts 
Had many such delicious feasts. 
And followed armies on their way 
In countless numbers every day, 
Howling and watching for their prey, 



40 TlIK BATTLE OF CANN^. 

Tlic vultures first were over liead, 
Soaring round the field of dead, 
With every other carrion hird, 
And packs of howling dogs were heard, 
Coming to devour the slain^ 
Stript naked on the lurid plain. 
Who would have heen a soldier then 
Made food for beasts by savage men? 
''^On sober second thought" why not? 
Worms eat us all before we rot, 
Unless we're purified entire^ 
On funeral piles consum'd by fire. 
The allies buried all their friends, 
And wdth these rites their duty ends. 



Sepulchral rites in early days 
Were sacred held, (so Homer says,) 
If illustrious men expired, 
Then the funeral piles Averc fired ; 



THE BATTLE OF CANN.E. 41 

And gladiators faiiglit all round, 

To consecrate with blood the ground ; 

While others of ignoble birth, 

Were buried in their mother Earth. 

When their ethereal spirits fled, 

Friends burnt or buried all the dead, 

Or they could never enter where, 

The blest Elysian spirits were. 

Such was immutable decree, 

Of Over-ruling Destiny. 

Yet these religious obseo[uies^ 

Were not perform 'd for enemies. 

But to friends alone Avere given, 

As their passports into heaven. 

Whene'er a routed army fled, 

To save themselves, they left their dead. 

The clogs devoured them where they fell, 

Their troubled spirits went to Hell : 

Not with the happy shades to mix, 

Because they could not cross the Styx, 



42 THE BATTLE OF CAXNiE. 

Wliicli nine times flowed around, 
Th' Elysian Fields enclianted ground. 
Until their bones were buried here, 
Their spirits were delay' d down there, 
A hundred years outside the river, 
Wandering round it, seemed for ever. 
No present hope to guild their grief, 
Not even Death to bring relief. 
Charon would not pass them over. 
The dark unnavigable River. « 
Whether they were good or bad, 
Before that time no trial had. 
This Purgatory Heathens made. 
For all whose bones unburied laid. 



Tartarus was a jjart of Hell, 
Where guilty damn'd spirits dwell. 
JEciis and Rhadamanthus were, 
Inferior Judges sitting there. 



THE BATTLE OF CANN^. 43 

Siipremc was Minos Judge of men, 
(They had no Jury trials then,) 
And no delay when sentence pass'd, 
But into uttei' darkness cast. 
Past redemption, for the future 
Writh'd and tossed in endless torture ; 
Down in those Infernal Kegions, 
Where the Devils swarm'd in legions. 
Without a friend who sympathiz'd, 
Oil earth forgotten or despised. 
Whatever Minos judged was right. 
No God could pardon or respite. 
Dark picture Heathen writers draw, 
Of Hell's inexorahle law. 
Its terrors may have done some good, 
But did not stop their shedding hlood. 



Th' Elysian Fields was haj^py place, 
For all the 2;ood who died in c-race. 



44 THE BATTLE OP CANNiE. 

There tliey dwelt from troubles free, 

In glorious immortality. 

Their sky was bright, and j)ure the air, 

They had no wants and felt no care. 

Mid cooling shades, and purling brooks, 

They took no food and read no books, 

For immaterial sparks require, 

No fuel to revive their fire. 

No books or prophets there to doubt, 

All was reveal'd to them without. 

And universal knowledge knew, 

From all creation spread in view. 

Toiled not by day, nor slept at night 

To lose one moment of delight. 

In tranquil state of idleness. 

Enjoyed perpetual happiness. 

(On earth such calm felicity, 

Would be o'ercast by ennui.) 

There the grosser passions cease. 

All was purity and peace. 



THE BATTLE OP CANN^. 

Immortal beauty with its grace, 

Divinity of human face. 

And ]\g;ht of k^ve. which there could he, 

Without a shade of jealousy. 

To describe the Elysian Fields 

Impossible — tlie writer yields ; 

No poet ever was inspired^ 

They must be seen to be admir'd. 

Such fables taught Mythology, 

Inspired by genial j)oetry, 

All mankind believers made 

In Destiny, which Gods obeyed. 



We must now return to Cannse, 
After being so long away, 
To wind up this fell story, 
In its mantle red with glory. 
Leave the slain to their hard fate, 
And turn to those disconsolate. 
7 



46 THE BATTLE OF CANN^. 

First we'll speak of mother's grief, 

(The most deserving of relief.) 

Dear Mother I every urchins' breast, 

Loves thee more than all the rest. 

She taught him how to kneel and pray, 

And chased all mischief far away. 

Kiss'd off his tears, assuaged his pain. 

And dream'd she had not lived in vain, 

By risking her own life for joy, 

Of giving life to her dear hoy, 

Nurtur'd on the genial fiow^ 

Of mother's milk to live and grow. 

At brave Centurion's command, 

He .took his spear with trembling hand ; 

Now kiird by horseman or huge Gaul, 

Who sneer 'd to see her stripling fall, 

With fierce barbaric rage, 

At seventeen years of age, 

Hurl'd down before his manhood's bloom, 

To Heathen Purgatory's doom. 



THE BATTLE OF CANN^. 47 

What were her thoughts on his last hour, 
With wolves and vultures to devour? 
Although such cases numerous were, 
No words were made for her despair. 



The father, selfish and astute^ 

Mammon his God, and his pursuit. 

But had a lingering feeling left 

For his children, when hereft 

Of low ambitions hope for fame, 

By leaving fortune with his name. 

To judge the future by the past. 

The pride of riches will not last, 

A miser with his sordid care. 

Is hut a steward for his heir, 

Who buys base pleasures with the pelf, 

The miser seldom tastes himself; 

But abstains from comforts living. 

For the power at death of giving. 



48 THE BATTLE OF CANNAE. 

His heirs rejoice he cannot stay, 
And cannot, take his wealth away. 
Goes naked as he came at birth, 
Else nothing would be left on earth. 
He had another heir to choose, 
And worse, his property to lose, 
He did the loss of son deplore. 
But felt the risk of riches more ; 
When he was old and soon to die, 
To see his wealth take fire and fly. 
By plundering Gauls expected there. 
The risk was more than he could bear 
He tumbled dead upon the spot, 
And all his property forgot. 
He was not a noble Roman, 
But such men were very common. 



Rome was to its centre shaken, 
All believ'd it would be taken. 



THE BATTLE OF CANN.®. 49 

Now we'll leave tlie trembling city, 

In its flood of tears and pity, 

Resume tlie sequel of the figlit, 

Five thousand prisoners at night, 

Made their escape and took to flighty 

While weari'd guards of Allied host, 

Were drunk and sleej)ing on their post. 

They storm" d both Roman camps next day, 

And all the plunder took away. 

Five thousand prisoners remain'd, 

Which cruel Hannibal detain' d, 

And set a price upon them all, 

Which must be paid, or they should fall, 

As gladiators to amuse, 

His army with their blood profuse ; 

The Roman Senate did refuse. 

To pay the ransom for their men, 

They slew each other in the pen. 

The common fate of prisoners then. 



50 THE BATTLE OF CANN^. 

If Hannibal deserves a curse, 
The Eoman Senate acted worse. 
But Kome surviving loss of blood, 
With speedy vengeance render' d good, 
The dictum of stern Cato, 
''Delenda est Cathargo." 
Ruled by factious counsels bad, 
The Carthagenian Senate mad, 
With suicidal policy, 
Eecalled their troops from Italy. 
The soil he held for fourteen years. 
He water'd with departing tears, 
(The first, as it was often said, 
Great Hannibal had ever shed,) 
Led his army back to Carthage^ 
And here we end this tiresome page. 

FINIS. 



NOTES TO POEM. 



Note 1. — Page 15. 

'•'As yet Yulturnus did not blow." 

Vulturnus is the n.ame of a periodical wind which blew with great vio- 
lence from S. E. to N. W.^ The Romans faced the South, the Allies the 
North. This wind raised and blew fiercely during the battle against the 
Romans, by driving great quantities of dust and sharp sand into their faces, 
prevented them from seeing clearly to fight. Vulturnus is also the name 
of a river of Campania. The name of the wind is supposed to be derived 
from the Latin words, Vultus, the countenance, and^verto, to turn, because 
it forced persons to turn their faces' from it ; or a compound of Latin and 
Greek, Vultus Latin and Greek verb t/j/stto, to turn away. The River was 
very crooked, and the face of the beholder had to be turned about in every 
direction to trace its meanders. 

Note 2. — Page. 15. 

"The Aufidus there ran between." 

Aufidus is a river of Apulia, falling into the Adriatic Sea. The Town 
of Cannae was situated at the entrance of this river, which in modern 
geography is called Ofanto. 



52 NOTES TO POEM. 

Note 3. — Page 16. 
"In front Hastati waved the spear." 

Hastati^ so called from hasta, a spear, the weapon they carried in ancient 
■ times, being young soldiers and placed in front. The boys of Rome were 
enrolled under Cfenturions at seventeen years of age, who presented them 
with spears, and led them to the tented field in times of invasion. 

Principes were men of middle age and greatest vigor, standing next 
behind the Hastati, and when they fell back received and supported them 
betwixt their ranks. 

Triarii, as their name denotes, were the third rank, generally composed 
of veterans, who stood wide enough to receive both the Hastati and Prin- 
cipes betwixt their line. Owing to this formation the Roman Army was 
prepared to resist three successive onsets before it could be routed. 

Note 4. — Page 18. 

"The central cuneus stood out clear." 

, Cuneus is the Latin for a wedge. When troops were formed into the 
figure of an acute or obtuse angle they were styled Cuneus, which was 
considered the most efficient shape to pierce and break up the order and 
line of the enemy's army. When a Cuneus was seen in the field, a charge 
was generally expected from it, but in this the Romans were deceived by 
Hannibal at Cannje, who contrived to draw their charge on his Cuneus, 
which was not more than one-third of his infantr^y, and by falling back 
from it, surrounded all their legions by his wings and line in rear, in this 
way threw them into confusion and cut them to pieces. 

The Gauls and Spaniards, who composed the Cuneus, were very fearful 
to encounter on account of the size of their bodies, their prodigious 
strength, their expertness in the use of arras, and the imposing appear- 
ance of their dress. Their shields were nearly of the same size and fashion, 
reflecting the rays of the sun like polished mirrors into the eyes of the 



NOTESTOPOEM. 53 

enemy. Their swords were different both in length and form, those of the 
Gauls being broad and long, without points. The Gauls were naked from 
their waists to their helmets, with the exception of a loose red shirt. 
Their long beards which swept their shaggy bosoms made their aspects 
terrific. There was no stopping or fencing against their heavy swords, 
which had to be avoided entirely, or inflicted death through all defensive 
armour at a single blow, and hewed off a spear like a reed. • This is the 
description given by historians of the fierce legions of Gaul. Csesar de- 
scribes them as having flaxen, or yellow hair, and says they were remarka- 
ble for their fondness of changing their generals and rulers. This personal 
description does not correspond with that of the modern French, but they 
are not all descended from the Gauls, but mostly from the Franks, and 
other nations. Their fondness for changing their rulers without improving 
their system of government, is truly characteristic of the modem French. 
The Spaniards wore full suits of defensive armour, covered by shirts of 
dazzling whiteness, bordered with purj^le. As they practised fencing and 
thrusting more than striking, their swords were double-edged and pointed. 
They were of the same size and complexion as the Gauls before their adul- 
teration by a mixture of the Moorish, not negro, blood. 

The Carthagenian foot resembled the Roman Legions in almost every 
particular of dress and armour; — and at Cannas were equipt with many of 
the weapons taken from the Romans, forty thousand of whom had been 
slain by Hannibal's army at Thasimenus, a short time before the battle of 
Cannae. 

The heavy Cavalry, mounted on Spanish stallions, was perhaps the most 
terrific arm of Hannibal's army. It frequently charged the Roman Legions, 
rode them down, and cut them to pieces. The Romans dreaded a charge 
of his cavalry more than the swords of his infantry, on the plains, where 
they could be brought to bear on them. When they charged in line at top 
of speed they were irresistible before the use of fire arms. The men of the 
Roman Legions were speared by the riders, and trodden down or kicked to 
death by their trained horses. Fabius dreaded the Allied cavalry so much 
that he took refuge with his army in the mountains to avoid their charges, 
8 



54 N T E S T P E M . 

Note 5. — Page 21. 

"The Balearcs next unfurled." 

Balcares, three Islands, so called in ancient geography, lying on the 
Coast of Spain, and now called Majorca, Minorca and Ivica. The word is 
derived from the Greek Bstxx;ey, to thro-w, because the inhabitants of these 
Islands were expert slingers and archers, besides great pirates. They were 
mercenaries and hired by the Romans to bring on battles, by galling the 
enemy with their missiles. Some of them were in the service of Hannibal 
at the battle of Canna?, and some historians say there was a severe skirmish 
betwixt the light troops on both sides, in which one of the Eoman Consuls 
was severely wounded before the combat of horsemen. But as this account 
is omitted in other histories, it has been left out in the Poem, to save the 
trouble and time necessary to reconcile the conflicting historic.';. From 
them all slingers took the name of Baleares. 

Note 6. — Page 22. 

''Like charging trump of Gabriel.'' 

Gabriel was an Angel in Heathen Mythology, considered in the same 
warlike character by all profane writers, except the Persians, who thought 
him a peaceful angel, and named him the Peacock of Heaven. The Greeks 
and Romans considered him the destroying angel of war who carried a 
trumpet to sound the Commander's order for a charge in battle. Milton 
uses him as the Angel of "War in his Paradise Lost. He is generally con- 
sidered the angel of both War and Death its consequence, who sounded his 
trump first to bring on a battle, and finally to announce its catastrophe. 
He is introduced in this double capacity at Cannce, considering the conflict 
and destruction of the Knights and their auxiliaries as inevitable when he 
sounded Hannibal's order for the Cavalry in his rear to charge them. 



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